Once you get the airbox rubbers off, you're still left with the chore of removing the carbs from the engine...
I did this with the tank still on. (Not by choice, I left the keys at my house, 1hr from my garage)
1. I take off the metal hose clamps completely, not worth damaging them.
2. Disconnect the fuel line at the petcock.
3. After struggling for about ten minutes and making no progress, I decided it was time for the crowbar. I scratched the engine just a little bit, which could have easily been avoided with a rag over the bar. Either way, the scratch is so minimal it doesn't matter to me, and it's in a hard spot to see anyway. Here's a couple shots of the angle I had the bar at:
The petcock is not being touched by the crowbar at all.
Here's the other side, the scratch I made. No biggie, but those with painted engines might want to use a rag or some rubber.
And the point of contact on the carb that got a shiner:
Didn't take much force at all, there was plenty of leverage.
Hope this makes someone's life easier. Re-install was tough too, but I had a buddy that helped me force em back in.
